Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor – an inspirational icon – Malaysia’s first astronaut…

                                                   

What a surprise it was for me to be able to get up close and personal with Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor. He’s known in Malaysia as the “angkasawan” because he’s the first Malaysian to go to space. Will there be others following in his footsteps? According to Dr. Sheikh, dreams are possible!

                                               angkasawan Malaysia 

At the 30-minute inspirational talk that he gave to students and members of the public at Minggu Saham Amanah Malaysia (Amanah Saham Malaysia Investment Week) MSAM 2011, Dr. Sheikh, who is actually an orthopedic surgeon and part time model, stressed the fact that we can achieve our goals if we set our mind to it. Mental strength is the most important ingredient in one’s success. Of course physical strength is important as well, especially in space travel, but in many cases, we are our own worst enemy.

                                                 

                                             Malaysia’s first astronaut

Two basic factors that make or break one’s ambition in being an astronaut are something as common as tooth refill and surgery. Based on these factors alone, I believe the majority of the more than 11,000 hopefuls who underwent the preliminary trials with Dr. Sheikh to select Malaysia’s first astronaut, were eliminated because they had a tooth refilled or they underwent a surgical procedure previously.

                                              angkasawan negara

I have to say that Dr. Sheikh is very good looking in real life but somehow NONE of the many photos that I shot turned out good. I wonder why! I’m so disappointed I could cry. Luckily, I have Dr. Sheikh’s autograph to salvage the disaster! Looks like I’ve outgrown my camera yet again.

Wedding Day Dr.Syeikh Muszaphar Shukor Dr.Halina

akad nikah

During their wedding close to 100 astronauts from all over the world are expected to join in the Oct 10 wedding ceremony of Malaysian astronaut Datuk Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor and Dr Halina Mohd Yunos.That auspicious day will also be the last day of the Association of Space of Explorers’ 23rd Planetary Congress, taking place here from Oct 5.Expected at the gala reception are first Muslim astronaut Prince Sultan of Saudi Arabia; the first Chinese Taikonaut Yang Li Wei and an astronaut from India, Rakesh Sharma.

Interesting BIODATA

BIODATA

Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor;born Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Al Masrie bin Sheikh Mustapha on July 27, 1972) is a Malaysian orthopaedic surgeon and was the first Malaysian to go into space. He was launched to theInternational Space Station aboard Soyuz TMA-11 with the Expedition 16 crew on October 10, 2007.Sheikh Muszaphar flew under an agreement with Russia through the Angkasawan program, and returned to Earth on October 21, 2007, aboard Soyuz TMA-10 with theExpedition 15 crew members, Fyodor Yurchikhin andOleg Kotov.

Career

Sheikh Muszaphar was born in Kuala Lumpur and attended high school at Maktab Rendah Sains, MARA in Muar. He is the son of homeroom Ustaz Muhaidin. He then earned a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, India.Sheikh Muszaphar is a medical officer, and a university medical officer in medicine at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.In 1998, Sheikh Muszaphar worked at Hospital Seremban, followed by a move to Kuala Lumpur General Hospital in 1999, and was on staff at Hospital Selayang from 2000 through 2001. Sheikh Muszaphar is also a part-time model.

My Idol!!!

Dr.Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor